William s



(N0 ModeL) W. S. MORDEN.

AXLE BOX.

No. 450,716. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

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W I E I r I I 1 Moms varens co, Pum'wumo WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM. S. MORDEN, OF MONTAGUE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO RALPH HOFFMAN AND GEORGE E. GARDINER, OF SAME PLACE.

AX L E B O X SPECIFICATION. forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,716, dated April 21, 1891.

Application filed August 6, 1890. $erial No. 361,155. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. MoRDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montague, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Axle-Box, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriages and wagons, and more especially to that class thereof known as axle-boxes; and the object thereof is to provide improvements upon existing devices of this same class.

To this end the invention consists of abox carried by the hub of a wheel and a spherical ball upon the end of the axle, said box turning upon said ball, and the whole being of the specific construction hereinafter more fully described, andillustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the inner end of a hub embodying my invention, the axle being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section. Fig. 4. is a perspective detail of the clamp hereinafter mentioned. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the end of the axle, showing the ball thereon.

Referring to the said drawings, the letterA designates the axle, upon the end of which is a ball B, preferably spherical, or nearly so, and which ball may be of metal, of glass, or of other suitable material, and preferably has lubricating-grooves G upon its exterior.

S are the spokes of the wheel, which at their inner ends are seated in sockets Kin the hub H, which latter is interiorly screw-threaded.

O is an outer and I an inner cup having exteriorly -threaded mouths adapted to be screwed into the hub H from opposite sides, as will be clearly understood, and between the inner ends of these cups is arranged a leather washer W, which is adapted to take up oil and to prevent the entrance of dust or grit to the interior of the cavity formed by the two cups.

0 is an oil-cup opening through the hub at its outer end between two of the spokes and at its inner end alongside the washer W.

The inner end of the inner cup I has an opening of a size to loosely embrace the axle, and the latter is passed therethrough, so that the ball B shall stand inside the cavity formed by the two cups, which cavityit fits closely, as

trance of all dust or grit to the interior of the cavity from this point.

In assembling the parts of this improved axle-box the outer cup 0 is first screwed into the outer end of the hub-for instance, by means of a pipe-wrench or spanner taking into the holes h shown in said cup-and the inner cup I, with the axle passing therethrough, is brought into position and screwed into inner end of the hub, the washer W being 1nterposed between the meeting ends of sa1d cups, as above described. After the inner cup has been tightened, so that the cavity formed by the two cups shall embrace the ball B without any play between the parts, the clamp C is brought into position, placed around the grooved flange F, and clipped upon the axle A by means of the bolt 0. This improved axle-box is then in condition for use and may be lubricated in the manner above described. Although I have illustrated and described the bearing between the open inner end of the ,inner cup and the axle Aas closed by the clamp C, any other suitable clamp or dust-guard may be substituted in lieu thereof without materially aifecting the other parts of the axle-box, as it will be readily understood that the wheel is prevented from all longitudinal play upon the axle by the close contact between the ball and the two cups. After the contacting surfaces have become worn one or both of the cups may be screwed a little further into the hub, either compressing the washer XV, substituting a new one therefor that shall be thinner, or filing ofithe inner ends of the cups, and the cavity is thereby reduced in size so as to more closely embrace the ball.

that is claimed as new is 1. The herein-described axle-box, the same comprising an interiorly-sorew-threaded hub, inner and outer cups screwed into the opposite ends of said hub, the axle passing through the inner end of the inner socket, and a ball upon the end of said axle fitting within the cavity between said cups, as set forth.

2. In an axle-box, the combination, with the interiorly-serew-threaded hub H, the outer cup 0, screwed into the outer end of saidhub, and the inner cup I, screwed into the inner end thereof, with a washer V between the meeting ends of said cups, the inner end of inner cup having an opening, of the axle A, passing loosely through said opening, a dustguard upon said axle around said opening, and a ball B, rigidly secured to the end of said axle and fitting within the cavity between the cups, as set forth.

3. In an axle-box, the combination, with the WVILLIAM S. MORDEN.

Witnesses:

C. L. STRENG, G. O. THOMPSON. 

